EAM Jaishankar, Spanish FM Push Ties Amid Global Realignments

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation José Manuel Albares to advance bilateral cooperation and exchange views on global developments.

The meeting focused on strengthening collaboration across trade, investment, defence, technology, education, and people-to-people engagement.

Jaishankar thanked Spain for consistently supporting stronger India–European Union relations. He welcomed Spain’s decision to join the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative and described it as a positive signal of strategic convergence.

In his X post, he confirmed that both sides held wide-ranging discussions and reaffirmed the strength of their political dialogue.

During his opening remarks, Jaishankar highlighted the rapid transformation of the global order. He stressed that countries must work together more closely to address shared challenges.

The External Affairs Minister placed special emphasis on counter-terrorism, noting that both India and Spain have faced its impact. He called for zero tolerance toward terrorism worldwide.

Jaishankar underlined that India and Spain share warm relations rooted in democratic values, respect for multilateralism, and commitment to a rules-based international system.

He noted that the two nations will celebrate 70 years of diplomatic relations in 2026.

The External Affairs Minister also spoke about India’s upcoming AI Impact Summit. He said India follows a human-centric and ethical approach to artificial intelligence, closely aligned with European priorities.

EAM Jaishankar described economic engagement as a key pillar of bilateral ties and highlighted growing trade, which has crossed USD 8 billion.

He pointed to strong Spanish investment in Indian infrastructure, renewable energy, and urban mobility, alongside Indian business activity in Spain.

Spanish Foreign Minister Albares described India as a reliable global partner. He supported deeper cooperation and stressed that concluding the India–EU Free Trade Agreement would mark a major step forward.

Albares confirmed Spain’s participation in the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative and noted upcoming high-level visits.

An official video of the meeting further reflected the growing strategic alignment between the two democracies.

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